Community Work Research Articles

Blue Sunglasses and New Habits: Female Correspondence Networks and the Irish Religious Diaspora

Abstract During the nineteenth century female Irish religious orders established missions across the Irish diaspora which were designed with flexibility and adaptation in mind. The Sisters of Mercy's personal letter networks allowed these women, who were often very young, to continue their religious and technical “apprenticeship” while abroad. These letters enabled women in the diaspora to maintain a sense of consistency and belonging across the oceans: with their sisters in Ireland and elsewhere in the world on an ethnic and institutional level. Engaging with these letters as both intimate conversations and professional reflections presents opportunities for investigating how long-distance institutional memory was developed and a continuing connection to Ireland and Irishness maintained. This article moves the focus of ethnic culture brokers from the priest and bishop to the formal and informal networks of women religious who worked within a system designed for men. In doing so, it demonstrates that these letters provided an important extra layer to public global Irish networks, a layer which acted as both a whisper network and an opportunity for reflection on efficient methods for varied work in large, fluctuating, and cross-class ethnic communities.

Determination of Training Participants in Community Work Training Centers Using the Naïve Bayes Classifier Algorithm

Community work training centers are skills training institutions that aim to improve the skills of the surrounding community by providing training programs that align with industry needs. Registration of training participants at the Al-Ikhwan Islamic Boarding School community work training centers often faces obstacles, namely, the selection process is still manual, so it takes a long time, and there is a possibility of errors. This study aims to apply the Naive Bayes Classifier Algorithm to determine whether applicants pass training at the Al-Ikhwan Islamic Boarding School community work training centers. This classification method is used to help optimize the applicant selection process by considering administrative factors, income, and training quotas. RapidMiner software is used as a tool to implement the algorithm. This study found that the Naive Bayes Classifier Algorithm can provide good accuracy results in determining applicants who pass the training selection. The test results show that the resulting model has an accuracy of 90.00% in determining passing training participants with data that has the highest chance of passing, namely data that has the attributes of the female gender, age 20 years, last education Senior High School/Vocational High School, student work/student, income 364,912, father's work as laborer, father's income 3912,280, mother's work as an IRT, and mother's income 885,964. This research increases efficiency and accuracy in determining training applicants at the Al-Ikhwan Islamic Boarding School community work training centers.

Consolidating Integrated Care: A Joint Falls Prevention Initiative between Community and Hospital Based Physiotherapy Services

Abstract Background Physiotherapists from Primary Care, Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP) and hospital-based Frailty Intervention Team services came together to establish a community working group with the aim of reducing the incidence of falls of those in their collective catchment area. The agreed objective being to pilot a 6 week falls prevention initiative between community and hospital-based services. Methods 7 Physiotherapists across 3 services formed a community working group. A 6-week physiotherapy led, multifaceted intervention program involving exercise, education and an opportunity for socializing was developed. The class was accessible to persons over the age of 65 years who had or were at risk of falling. Participants were recruited from the caseloads of the physiotherapists involved. Objective assessments of gait speed, grip strength and balance were carried out via hand grip dynamometry, Timed Up and Go (TUAG) and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Subjective measures of participant’s quality of life were assessed via the EQ 5D 5L, Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and Sarc-F. On completion of the intervention participants were retested. Results 10 participants were recruited to the pilot from both community and hospital based, out-patient services. Over 80% of participants attended 4 out of 6 sessions. Participants grip strength improved by 3.4kg, TUAG by 6.43% (1.03 seconds) and SPPB by 13.3%. EQ 5D 5L scores improved by 15%, FES score improved by 17.81% and SARC-F scores improved by 6%. 40% of participants went on to engage with a follow-on exercise group delivered by the local Sports Partnership. Conclusion Overall, there was a notable improvement in participant’s physical function and quality of life and self-efficacy scores post intervention. This highlights the positive impact of multimodal group interventions, which incorporate both exercise and education to promote self-efficacy within frail older population at risk of falling.

Refocusing social work education on community work in Hong Kong: an urgent call

Abstract A dominant discourse in social work literature and textbooks is that community workers should take a proactive stance to pressure government officials to reform policy. Without any mission to downplay the political role of social work in the first place, the author of this paper argues that activist discourses from the 1970s are too old to inform contemporary struggles. In light of the neo-liberal, neo-managerial, post-colonial, and pan-political realities, antagonistic relationships between stakeholders in the community, politicians, opinion leaders, and the establishment have ushered in new-look community work in Hong Kong. Social work education on community development should undergo a transformation to help social work students reposition themselves in these chaotic times.

Rural Murle Age-Set Men Tackling Elites in South Sudan

The Murle age system is often presented in a negative light in the South Sudan conflict reporting, which links age-set activities to communal violence, cattle rustling, and the abduction of women and children. Such assessments by outsiders overlook the positive effects of age-sets on interethnic relations in rural areas, where young people follow the Murle tradition and navigate the complex influence networks of Murle society. We focus on pastoral Murle youth in Pibor born in the 1980s and 1990s—that is, the laŋo age-set. By drawing on in-depth life-story interviews, this article studies how Murle laŋo masculinity is constructed, embodied, and negotiated. The analysis of our ethnographic data exemplifies how early childhood emotional bonds with caregivers, conflicts, and marginalisation impact the life trajectory of one Murle man. Our results show the connectedness of political orientation, tradition, and masculinity to intergenerational conflict and competition for political and societal power in Murle society. The study increases our understanding of Murle laŋo men’s survival strategies. Specifically, it shows that these rural marginalised Murle youth build alliances beyond kinship and ethnic ties, defend land, advance the goal of peace with neighbours, volunteer for unpaid community work to fight idleness, and act as a counter force to prevent manipulation by political and military leaders. Zɔɔz Zɔɔz nici ɔp bayiz ci ɔl o maac een murle abaak Murla, ki gɔl ci bayizo, ki gɔl ci ganonto been culanɛ ci kobɛkɛ ɔl kaal. Gi ci titiny bayize ceen murlen nɛɛn, buluwa kibeen kerenɛ ogi o murle gɔɔn anya bayiz o gɛɛr gɔɔn aruwɔn ɔl, ma kɔran tiin moda ma kagaman ŋai ki dɔɔl ci modo. Mazin liŋliŋɔnti nici aŋamnek kaal o abon agɔɔn bulowa o abaak murla loce o ɔl o kolik een junup ŋawo azɔɔzi kaal o bayiz uneŋ murlo. Ma golowa ci kaŋamneka kalyanit o bayiz o een murlen, ayelza rɔŋrɔŋanɔnɛt ci arɔrɔŋanɔn nigi ki, gɔɔl ci adiŋdiŋani Jowanɛ o adilyai, gɔl ci siaso, ki kɛranɛ, ki kaal ci akati ŋayetin ki jorɛnɛɛn zɛɛ been ŋɛrɔn ci aŋɛrɔɔn alata o murlo aŋɛrɛ sias giye ci arɔɔŋi rum o. Bayizi ween aturuwen aroŋnyi, ayelzai bule o kazi lango, agamta nigi bayiz ci aromɛn niŋgi dook kodoye, ma arican ganɔɔn ma buk ɔp calaŋ aŋɛɛr nɔgɔ siasa karabɔŋ een zɔɔz ci takirzetu. Keywords: masculinity, laŋo, life story, tradition, elites, Murle, South Sudan

Intelligent fibers and textiles for wearable biosensors

AbstractIn conjunction with the advancement of digital healthcare, the field of wearable biosensors has experienced rapid growth in recent years and is projected to expand further in the coming years. As wearable biosensors enter their next phase, emphasis is increasingly placed on developing comfortable, breathable, washable, and lightweight intelligent fibers and textiles as key components. This review examines the contributions of both natural and synthetic fibers and textiles to wearable biosensors. The structure and preparation process of intelligent fibers and textiles are systematically elucidated, including the development of the conductive layer. Additionally, key micro–nano technologies that have emerged in this domain are highlighted such as built‐in power supplies, wireless data transmission, precise data analysis driven by artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Furthermore, advanced functionalities integrated into recent biosensing systems, such as heat management, real‐time displays, and human–machine interaction are summarized. Moreover, the applications of fiber‐based wearable biosensors for monitoring biophysical and biochemical signals are presented. Finally, the challenges faced by the community working on wearable sensors based on intelligent fibers and textiles are discussed alongside promising future directions.

THE STORY “ZINDAN” BY GAYAZ ISKHAKI IN THE LITERARY CONTEXT OF THE EPOCH

The classic of Tatar literature Gayaz Iskhaki was born in Kutlushkino (Yaushirma) village of Chistopolsky district in the family of a famous mullah who engaged in education and charity. First, he received knowledge, love for books and reading from parents and maternal grandmother and later in the day school of the village. He continued his studies in a famous in the Muslim world of Russia and the countries of the East madrasah of Zakir Kamalov, which not only produced future imams, hazrats, but also teachers for other madrasahs. This period of his life spent in Chistopolsky district laid the foundation for the worldview of the future writer and thinker and played an important role in shaping the personality of G. Ishaki. It was there, in the Chistopolsky prison, that the autobiographical novel "Zindan" was written, which testifies to his passion for revolutionary ideas and reflects the real facts from the life of the Chistopolsky prison. The autobiographical work "Zindan" is based on real events and provided with various historical and cultural facts and details from the literary life of the epoch. The text reflects the perception of current events by the writer who was the witness and an active participant in them. The novel "Zindan" was published in a separate edition in Kazan in 1907. Due to the humanity of the censor N.F. Katanov, the book was not confiscated and criminal prosecution against the author was not initiated. The interest of the Central Committee of Foreign Censorship of St. Petersburg manifested in 1908 in relation to the work of G. Iskhaki led to a thorough examination of the content of "Zindan" by another member of the Kazan Provisional Committee for Press Affairs N.I. Ashmarin in order to search for places with signs of "crimes". His review led to the decision of the Committee to seize Iskhaki's pamphlet "Zindan" because of the illegal content, bringing the author to criminal responsibility under the article 129 of the Criminal Code. The author of the article summarized the material on the period from the biography of G. Iskhaki spent in Chistopolsky district and revealed the great work of the scientific community of Tatarstan to return its literary heritage to the history of Tatar literature of the twentieth century. The interpretation of the story "Zindan" by various literary critics in the historical, cultural and literary context of the epoch showed that the story "Zindan" in the form of a prison chronicle introduced new ideological and thematic tones into Tatar literature and gave impetus to the rapid development of the autobiographical genre in Tatar literature being of high value as a historical source.

Etika penggunaan AI dalam Karya : Pengabdian Masyarakat kepada Komunitas Film linkpictureID di Depok Jawa Barat

The use of AI (artificial intelligence) in a work in the film community is growing very rapidly. The LinkpictureID film community is one of them. Applications that use AI are increasingly being used by the film community. This has a quite important impact considering that there are many things that can be used in the use of AI in a film where it must apply in accordance with the ethical rules that apply in society. The use of AI in accordance with ethical rules in society is formed based on norms. On this occasion, we help the LinkpictureID film community to be able to utilize AI in accordance with applicable norms such as interactive dialogues, the formation of FGDs and presentations by experts in the use of AI in a work. As a result of the service, it is hoped that the creative industries can utilize AI in accordance with the interests of policy makers so that they do not deviate from the norms that apply in the community of Depok, West Java.

Implementing a multidimensional faculty promotion matrix at Saint George University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine

This paper outlines the development and implementation of a multidimensional faculty promotion matrix at Saint George University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine (SGUB FM). The matrix, designed to provide a comprehensive and equitable evaluation of faculty across multiple dimensions, is anchored in six pillars: Research, Clinical Practice, Teaching Effort, Administrative Effort, Community Work, and Extra Degrees and Awards. These pillars encompass diverse components, including publication output, clinical activities, teaching responsibilities, administrative roles, community engagement, and additional qualifications, with each metric normalized using z-scores for fair comparison. This matrix analyzed the CVs and relevant documents of 112 faculty members, demonstrating its efficacy in providing equitable evaluation regardless of gender or rank. The results showed no significant differences in promotion rates among various faculty ranks, highlighting the matrix’s fairness and impartiality. The study also explores the relationship between faculty ranks and various performance metrics, revealing patterns in research productivity, clinical practice, and community engagement that escalate with higher academic ranks. SGUB FM's approach aligns its curricular designs and instructional implementations with international benchmarks, particularly those set by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), ensuring global standard compliance while catering to the institution's unique context. The matrix serves not only as an evaluation tool but also as a catalyst for faculty excellence and professional development. This case study offers valuable insights for medical institutions developing inclusive promotion criteria and emphasizes the importance of holistic evaluation frameworks in fostering academic excellence and professional growth.

A review of the need for a systemic approach towards community social work and implications for social work practice in Singapore

ABSTRACT Social problems in Singapore are becoming more complicated, requiring multiple perspectives to address root causes. In contrast, social workers are trained to address these challenges with a person-in-environment approach, especially in community social work. This review article shows that there are clear parallels between community work and the need to understand the interconnectedness of social problems to address them, along with the importance of systems thinking in assessing social challenges and developing interventions to address them. A pragmatic community work framework infused with systems thinking is needed to support social workers’ interventions in bringing about long-term change in social problems.

“Life Is Losing its Meaning”: The Experiences of Fishing Communities During the Oil Disaster and COVID-19 Pandemic in Pernambuco, Brazil

The goal of this article is to examine how the confluence of the oil disaster and the new coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the work and livelihood of artisanal fishing communities in Pernambuco within a short span of time. Eighty people were interviewed (60 of them fishers) along the entire coastline of Pernambuco from October 2019 to February 2020, and through remote surveys from March to April 2020. The category “work culture” and its idea of experience as defined by E.P Thompson forms the basis of our analysis. Our results show that these two tragedies (the oil crisis – felt most strongly from October 2019 to January 2020 – and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that began in March 2020) presented formidable challenges towards the reproduction of the work culture that is produced by artisanal fishers in Pernambuco. This is seen in the experiences that were lived and told by the same Brazilians who currently reside in these fishing communities.

MIPDS: a comprehensive database on the molecular interactions in protein dimer structures

Although many studies have addressed the significance of interactions in the dimeric structures of proteins, there is no dedicated database of these interactions. To this end, the Molecular Interactions in Protein Dimer Structure (MIPDS) database has been developed; it is an open-access repository containing 60 298 3D structures of dimeric proteins sourced from the Protein Data Bank. This helps researchers comprehend the types of interaction, which include those mediated by water, small molecules or ligands and direct interactions, in 3D structures at the molecular level. The database is accessible through a user-friendly interface, where users can conduct searches based on PDB accession number, interaction type and geometric parameters. It can be viewed in textual and graphical formats using the plug-in JSmol. MIPDS is updated weekly using programmed scripts to incorporate newly released dimeric structures and analyses of their interaction types. The database is intended for the scientific community working in structural biology, structural bioinformatics, drug discovery and development. MIPDS is freely accessible to users worldwide at http://dicsoft1.physics.iisc.ac.in/mipds.

Consent as Social Reproduction: Making Space for the Transformative Labour of Refugee and Migrant Anti-violence Advocates in Australia

ABSTRACT Following #MeToo, sexual violence and consent have become more important to Australian governments, policy makers, and organisations addressing gender-based violence. Locating consent in a specific social system of ‘labour’, this article takes social reproduction as an entry point to examine the experiences of refugee and migrant anti-violence advocates in Australia. I suggest that current discourses of consent, as bodily autonomy and judicial power, act as a site of social reproduction through the creation of norms that uphold patriarchy and whiteness. Considered in this way, marginalised groups such as refugee and migrant women are not afforded adequate space and resources to theorise consent based on their own lived experiences. Interview participants (n = 19) are active in their ethnic and faith communities addressing GBV, as well as in organisations such as NGOs and policy domains. Utilising a lens of ‘Transformative Labour’ (Swanson, Resha Terae, and Erin Devorah Carreon. 2024. “Uncovering the Transformative Labor in Black Women’s Community Work.” Affilia, 08861099231223935. https://doi.org/10.1177/08861099231223935), the findings demonstrate the limits of consent when applied to refugee and migrant communities; the ways a history of different feminisms play out in current front-line interventions; and how mainstream, dominant groups might make space for marginalised groups to articulate their own identities, and the time and resources to theorise consent based on their own struggles.

Digital nomads: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

Purpose This study aims to address the need for robust conceptual foundations in the digital nomadism discourse through a systematic literature review (SLR). It delves into digital nomadism within sustainable tourism, providing valuable insights to foster community development. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a rigorous eight-step process that combines an SLR and a system dynamics approach. In the SLR phase, the authors use the theory, context, characteristics and methodology framework to identify key variables for a dynamic model of sustainable tourism through digital nomadism, following detailed search and selection criteria based on PRISMA guidelines. The second phase uses causal loop diagrams (CLDs) from the literature review to visualize relationships and inform future research directions. The CLD model is validated through literature-based and stakeholder interaction processes, focusing on the social, economic and environmental dimensions, resulting in the development of a robust conceptual model. Findings This study identified 28 theories, including agency–structure theory, travel career ladder theory, stakeholder theory and grounded theory, among others. Semi-structured interviews were the primary research method. Major themes explored encompass community interactions, work lifestyles, cultural aspects, financial considerations, infrastructure and policy. The proposed conceptual model aims to scrutinize relationships across economic, environmental and social dimensions, providing a foundation for investigating and promoting sustainable tourism. Research limitations/implications Policy implications involve refining taxation policies to maintain tax bases, promoting collaborative economic models and enforcing environmental regulations. Additionally, integrating community planning infrastructure and implementing demographic strategies to manage potential population shifts are crucial. Policies supporting education, skill transfer, health and well-being initiatives contribute significantly to fostering sustainable tourism practices and enhancing community vitality. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first in the digital nomadism space to propose a conceptual model for sustainable tourism adoption.

Bridging disaster risk reduction, community work, and gerontechnology: Potentials, ambivalences, challenges

Bridging disaster risk reduction, community work, and gerontechnology: Potentials, ambivalences, challenges

The Impact of Influencers’ Marketing on Buying Decision

Purpose: The aim of our study discovering the relations of the new marketing tool to be more active all over the world and increase in Iraq when the pandemic dun marketing tool (influencer marketing) with the process of making a buying resolution. theoretical framework: The marketing tools be renewed day after day to keep up with the digital development and community changes and needs. The aim is more loyal customers, more seals, and more profits when coved 19 deploy the companies focused more and more on new marketing active tools on socials platforms one of that tools is influencer marketing to impact customer behavior and buying decisions so this research studying the relation between main studied variables and stretchered in three parts Research Methodology, Literature review, and Practical part to clear the data analysis results and the conclusion of it. design/methodology/approach: The study problem concluded with the main question how is the influencer acting in customer buying diction? And this is so important to understand how is possible to get new customers and make them clients in the competitive environment. The aim of our study discovering the relations of this marketing tool (influencer marketing) with the process of making a buying resolution and for that, the researchers put the main hypothesis:” influencer marketing has a regression with customer behavior”. To test the relations between the study variables Researchers the data collected by questionnaire answer a random sample of Iraqi customers using a google form, the SPSS program was used to analyses data. Findings: The result clears meals more affected by influencers when they buy more than females and because the men in the Iraqi community work all the day and don’t prefer to spend time to go to shopping and collect info about goods. Originality/value: the study value concludes in the information it was clear to every company and Someone who is interested in investing.

Representing austerity: Baby Banks and news media

AbstractRising levels of hardship since the introduction of austerity have rendered essential items unaffordable for many on low incomes with young children. Baby Banks—organisations freely providing essential items and equipment to those with, or expecting, a baby or young infant—have grown. These organisations have received little academic attention and much of what is known about them comes from news media coverage. News media plays a critical role in raising public awareness, shaping public attitudes, and influencing policy formation. Drawing on 384 news articles, this paper explores the scale and nature of news article coverage of Baby Banks between 2009 and 2022 using sentiment analysis and topic modelling. Through employing these approaches, our research adds quantitative evidence to extant work on news media coverage under austerity. Our results show that the number of articles written about Baby Banks has grown since 2009, with peaks in coverage during the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020, potentially reflecting the growing need for these organisations. While sentiment towards Baby Banks within news articles has predominantly been positive, since 2019 there has been a rise in negative coverage due to an increase in articles critical of the growing number of people requiring Baby Banks. Alongside discussions of political changes driving rising hardship, prominent underpinning narratives in articles have included charitable appeals for donations, praise for community work, the royal family, and mothers. By focusing on the sentiment and key discussions around Baby Banks, our research extends understandings of media coverage under austerity.

Proposal of an alluvial dike as a nature-based solution for sustainable water management in coastal areas

Climate change affects several environments, and one of the main problems is the availability and pollution of water resources. As a sustainable strategy, nature-based solutions and rescue of ancestral knowledge are economical and environmentally friendly measures. This study aimed to analyse the design of an alluvial dike by integrating ancestral and engineering knowledge to obtain a surface water reservoir that improves the recharge of the coastal aquifer in the Manglaralto community. This study considers a geological-geotechnical analysis of the study area and presents an environmental analysis of civil work to determine its impact on the surrounding ecosystem systems. The alluvial material dike, green structure, 8 m high, allows the reservoir of approximately 0.06 hm3 of water, which allows the recharge of the coastal aquifer with a field capacity (volumetric content) of 0.1 and conserves its ecosystem. From an environmental perspective, reforestation of the riverbank would reduce annual evapotranspiration, and from an economic perspective, the budget would be reduced considerably (60 % owing to ancestral knowledge and community work). The proposed construction of this second dike relates to the context of Sowing and Harvesting Water (SHW) and nature-based solutions, with community participation leading the processes, with technical accompaniment, to contribute to SDG 2030. This study provides the criterion that the integrality of the green structure offers more significant benefits for the ecosystem and its inhabitants.

Are Cities Doing the Same? Local Policies on Immigrant Integration in Catalonia Since the Great Recession

This article analyzes the extent to which the councils of five Catalan cities have modified their integration policies. The structural transformations of contemporary societies have had a great impact on city councils and local integration policies, especially from the point of view of planning and policy orientation. The article studies the policies developed in five Catalan cities in the last four mandates, specifically between 2007 and 2023, based on in-depth interviews and analysis of political and technical documentation. Although the strategies used in the five cities analyzed are not identical, the results show that during these years there has been a tendency to limit the approval of plans for the integration of immigrants, although this does not mean that the councils do not have explicit political priorities and objectives. The cities also tend to speak less specifically about integration and, on the contrary, resort to two different orientations: some councils design and implement policies related to security, mediation, and community work in neighborhoods, while others tend to broaden the focus of their policies, opting for more holistic approaches focused on multiple forms of diversity, intersectionality, and anti-racism.

Geoeducation strategies in the Amazon, Napo Sumaco Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark

The UNESCO Global Geoparks are grounded in three core principles: education, geoconservation, and geotourism. Since 2015, the Napo Sumaco Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark (NSAUGG) in the Ecuadorian Amazon has concentrated its efforts on enhancing local capabilities through Earth Sciences education, underscoring the safeguarding of natural and cultural heritage and environmental stewardship. A comprehensive educational dissemination model was implemented, incorporating both indoor and outdoor activities, geoscience education training, geodiversity knowledge enhancement, and the creation of content and workshops that integrate classroom and field-based learning and evaluation. The concepts of geodiversity and geoparks were disseminated to adults and youth, primarily members of the native peoples' communities, particularly those employed at the community tourism centers and the geopark guides designated as “Yuyaiwa Pushak Runakuna.” A total of 60 individuals from the NSAUGG populations between Tena and Archidona cantons participated in the educational activities, which involved 19 geoeducators. These initiatives facilitated an appreciation of the geopark's diverse heritages, including its geological, biological, and cultural assets. The geoeducation efforts fostered geotourism, with the Yuyaiwa Pushak Runakuna acquiring greater value through their assimilation of geological and speleological knowledge. This is evident in their use of geological vocabulary and understanding of geological processes and materials in guiding activities for both national and foreign tourists. The most significant achievement is the establishment of “Geoeducation for Sustainability” actions, which promotes collective life through knowledge dialogues based on Minka (voluntary community work) and Turkana (reciprocity and barter). These actions encouraged a deeper connection to the geopark's heritage and strengthened community cohesion.